Air Force announces multi-million dollar contract to treat contaminated Fountain Valley water
The Air Force has awarded a $4.3 million rapid response contract as an interim measure to evaluate and treat PFC contaminated water in Security, Widefield and Fountain.
“This proactive measure is being taken as a good neighbor approach while the investigation continues,” said Lt. Col. Chad Gemeinhardt, 21st Civil Engineer Squadron commander.
The money will be used to evaluate affected potable water systems and develop short-term treatment solutions.
Peterson Air Force Base says that the treatment system is expected to be granulated activated carbon filters installed in the affected potable water systems to remove PFCs from drinking water.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will meet with El Paso County Health, Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment, Air Force Civil Engineer Center and water district representatives July 6 to determine the best course of action.
Peterson Air Force Base officials requested and received an expedited date for further investigation as a possible source of the chemicals. The site investigation contractor will arrive at Peterson July 7 , to determine best locations to drill monitoring wells. The wells will determine source and extent of the contamination, if any is found.
Drilling will begin in October 2016 and an internal draft report from the contractor is expected in March 2017 . Soil samples will also be collected and sampled for PFCs to try and determine the source, according to Air Force Civil Engineer Center officials. The base was originally scheduled for further testing in May 2017 , but testing was moved up to October 2016 based on the request.
Peterson provides airport firefighting and emergency services to the city of Colorado Springs in exchange for leased property from the city, and are the first responders for any aircraft or medical emergency on airport property.
Peterson used aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, in joint fire training on Peterson, where fire departments from across the region used the training sites to adequately prepare for emergency response actions to provide public safety. The AFFF was used in a legal, responsible manner in full compliance with Environmental Protection Agency guidelines at the time.
An industry-standard fire suppressant used to extinguish flammable liquid fires such as jet fuel fires, the foam was used from 1970 until about 1990 when Peterson firefighters began training in a lined basin using water to fight a controlled propane-fueled fire, which provides realistic firefighting conditions in an environmentally-safe and controlled manner. Since developing the new lined training area, AFFF has only been used in emergency response situations.
In addition to providing the filtration assistance and receiving an accelerated testing schedule, Peterson officials are double checking aircraft hangar fire suppression systems for residual PFCs, and continuing the investigation into past PFC use at Peterson. Fire officials are also replacing their current stock of AFFF with a newer EPA-compliant synthetic foam.
The Fountain area remains under water restrictions as a way to limit the amount of groundwater required to meet demand.
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